You’ve been hearing a lot lately about ag policy out of Washington, D.C. However, many of the laws that govern the ag industry in Indiana come from your state lawmakers in the Indiana General Assembly.
“Agriculture is the number one industry in the state of Indiana, and I think some people don’t realize the value in the GDP that it brings to our state,” says Elisha Modisett Kemp, State Government and Industry Affairs Leader with Corteva Agriscience. She and other ag leaders from across Indiana were part of the 2024 Fall Harvest Conference hosted by Barnes and Thornburg LLP on Thursday at their law offices in downtown Indianapolis.
As the Indiana General Assembly meets in January to put together a new two-year budget for the state, she says it’s important that state lawmakers understand the importance of Indiana’s ag industry.
“Ag is a large part of the economic development for Indiana, and that should play into all these budgeting processes so that it is properly resourced going into the next decade,” says Kemp. “We want our state lawmakers to that understand if you want to continue to have this state prosper, then that will come from agriculture.”
Whether it be at the local, state, or federal level, she says having conversations with lawmakers can go a long way in shaping farm policies and regulations—including those involving one of Indiana’s top ag issues—water availability.
“Where you start to see the challenges is where states try to take some of these efforts upon their own, and they’re not always the experts,” she says. “There are very complicated topics [within agriculture] that take a lot of scientific resources and know how. When you deal with the legislature that’s only in session part-time of the year, that’s difficult for them to be the experts on that. The more that the state legislatures can rely upon our ag experts—whether that’s their state agencies or universities—that’s always what makes for best policy.”
She says the best way to share your concerns regarding farm regulations is through your Indiana ag policy organization.
“If you are not a member of one of your commodity organizations, definitely utilize that resource—whether it’s on the animal ag side or [the Indiana Corn Growers Association and Indiana Soybean Alliance] because I think bringing that voice to the work that you do is so important again,” she says. “These legislatures are only in part-time of the year, so how do we make sure they understand the way that you operate and the way that these farms are sustainable and profitable for generations to come.”
CLICK HERE to find your Indiana State Representative and State Senator.
CLICK BELOW to hear Elisha Modisett Kemp with Corteva Agriscience talk with Hoosier Ag Today’s C.J. Miller about the importance of advocating for your farm and the ag industry with your state legislators.
